The Princess of Anguish
by BlessedBullet
Summary: Orgins of Andariel - in a dark and twisted fairy tale style.


The Princess of Anguish   
October 27, 2001   
By BlessedBullet   
  
  
Author's Note: This story is fairy-tale style (sorta) on the orgins of everyone's favorite boss in the nude,   
Andariel. To get the most out of the story, you'll have to be an experienced Diablo gamer and have read the   
background information in both Diablo I and II manuals. Many of the ideas in this story are inspired by   
Steven King's "Eyes of the Dragon" and I recomend it to anyone who likes to read fantasy.   
  
  
Once in a kingdom named Shaelport*, there lived a king and his two daughters. We all know that twin siblings   
are usually close, but this was not the case. But Princess Annaka and Princess Andrea were one of the few   
exceptions to this. Other than their looks, the two were as far apart as sisters could be.   
Princess Annaka was well loved throughout Shaelport. She was considered the fairest maiden of the   
kingdom. Like her sister, she had emerald green eyes and hair which poets often compared to waterfalls of   
gold. Annaka was also a charmer - she very flamboyant and captured the hearts of many handsome men. In   
fact, when many of the Knights of Shaelport died in battle, they screamed "Annaka!" before slipping into the   
next world.   
Her twin sister Andrea, however, was a very different girl. Even though she was appealing like   
Annaka (they were twins after all) people thought her quite dull and left her alone. She was a shy girl as well.   
During royal parties, her sister would be the center of attention as Andrea sat in a corner, watching the   
gathering unfold. And so, Andrea was also a lonely girl.   
Andrea was also a very jealous girl - of her sister of course. But you wouldn't know of what if you   
knew her as well as most people in Amntir. Andrea wasn't jealous because Annaka was considered the prettier   
twin, or that people would talk to her during parties, or that the people of Shaelport liked her far more than   
Andrea. None of those reasons bothered her at all. Andrea was envious for a different reason.   
Andrea and Annaka's subtle rivalry was no different than the rivalry between their kingdom,   
Shaelport, and the neighboring kingdom of Amntir*. For centuries, there had always been worry between the   
kingdoms. Once, Shaelport sent trade caravans to far away lands such as Aranocha or Lut Golein - only to see   
that Amntir's caravans had already visited with finer goods and lower prices. And another time, a friend of   
both Amntir and Shaelport was under siege by a legion of wendigo* and goatmen*. Amntir gladly offered help   
their ally only to find their aid turned down - Shaelport had already sent their knights to slaughter the for-hire   
soldiers.   
Putting their grudges aside, leaders of both kingdoms knew that no good would result from rivalry.   
And so, for many centuries, there was a plan to marry a prince and princess - one of Shaelport, and one of   
Amntir. But alas, neither kingdom could. For generations, it seemed as if they were cursed. Kings and queens   
of both kingdoms would both produce princes one time and princesses the next. And it happened over and   
over for years and year. Until finally, the birth of Princess Annaka and Andrea brought sight of an end.   
The princesses were near marrying age and it was certain that the more likeable twin, Princess   
Annaka, would marry Amntir's heir. Prince Roland of Amntir was almost as charming and well behaved as   
Andrea. He easily made up for it with strong ideals of honor and honesty. In fact, the people were already   
calling him Roland the Admirable. The prince and princess were a happy couple and their relationship was   
spoken with a raising of mugs in the taverns and pubs. Everyone knew they were in love.   
No one knew that better than Andrea, which brings her back to the question, "Why was she really   
jealous?" Andrea as well fancied Prince Roland ever since her sixteenth birthday. While everyone else was   
laughing and chatting around flamboyant Annaka, Roland sat down by Andrea and made talk with her. He did   
this for every party for every year. To Andrea, he was kind and polite and handsome and witty, and most   
important, he cared about her. And because of it, Andrea loved him.   
But Annaka loved him as well and Roland loved Annaka back. And poor Andrea, sitting alone in a   
corner, would be tortured until death knowing that fact.   
Or would she.   
  
One day, Andrea was in her chambers crying softly. Although many of the servants heard, none of   
them wanted to talk to the plain and drab princess. However, Izzy the Jovial Jester was one of those who didn't   
leave Andrea alone.   
Izzy was one of the few friends that Andrea had - and was by far her favorite. King Jared, who gave   
most of his attention to his favored daughter Annaka, was not blind to see Andrea's sadness and envy in her   
eyes. So, Jared found Izzy as a present to Andrea in hopes of being her cheerful company. Izzy, though   
bothersome sometimes, did his job quite well and brought good moods to Andrea. For the lonely princess, her   
jester was the only person other than Roland that could make her really smile. And even though she did not   
show it, Andrea was often grateful for Izzy's bothering.   
And so, the bothersome Izzy erupted into Andrea's chambers, juggling a collection of crystal balls as   
he did. The princess tried to hide her sobbing face.   
"Oi! M'lady!" said Izzy as if he was truly shocked. In truth, he was earlier listening to her cries.   
"What is wrong with ye'?"   
Andrea lifted her head with her cheeks still wet of tears. "Oh, hi Izzy. I'm all right. It's nothing   
really."   
"Nothing? Nothing? Of course it be not nothing. Izzy may have little smarts, but he still has two   
eyes." The jester stopped his juggling and humbly sat cross-legged in front of his princess. "Please with sweet   
candies. Tell Izzy what be wrong."   
"I told you, it's nothing Izzy, you should just forget--"   
Izzy stared at Andrea. It wasn't a jester's carefree stare. This one was a unsmiling and stern. He   
looked at Andrea with humorless eyes and for a moment, t he princess thought they flickered red.   
"Andy," said the Jester. "tell me."   
Those who lived in the royal castle knew that there was always been something bad about Izzy. Even   
though they all knew better, a little voice would say, "Stay away." Although what they had was feeling, I'll tell   
you for fact that they were right.   
The jester was much more than a jester. He was a great deal of people and has came to Shaelport   
many times under many names. The time before he had been known as Izzy, he was known as Igor, a   
respected merchant who controlled part of Shaelport's trade caravans. Before that, he was Commander Ian   
Zual of the Shaelport Knights. (Ah, you're seeing the association, no?) And before that, he was an alchemist   
for the king and queen. And before that… Well, time is short and so must this story. If I told you the tales of   
the people he's played, this tome would be a great deal larger. And so, you and I will just assume that he was a   
great deal of people and who caused a great deal of no good.   
What makes him want to do wickedness? I do not know. Some historians and tale spinners - such as   
myself - believe he was simply a bad person who did what bad people did - bad things. Those who have met   
him and stared into his flickering eyes claim him to be someone of the devil. Forgive me; I'm drifting from our   
story. For now, he will be a simple jester for a sad princess.   
The jester begged Andrea to tell him of her problems. "Please tell princess. Ye' can tell Izzy. I keep   
it hush-hush secret." He made a motion of zipping his lips and throwing away the key.   
"Well, okay. It's not like you have anyone to tell." And so she told her jester about Roland. And   
Andrea kept going about her hopeless love with Roland, Izzy tried his best to look sad and comforting for his   
princess - but in his heart, a little jester was turning cartwheels and flipping somersaults. Everything was going   
according to plan.   
Andrea finally came to her finish. "…And then, last night, I saw Roland kissing Annaka in the stables   
and they wouldn't stop and I couldn't stop looking. And, and, and… Izzy, I don't know what to do. Why   
won't Rol-"   
"Bah! Bother Roland! You dunna need that twit! Princes' aint notin' but dogs who lick hands for   
power. And you be better than anyone else in this here kingdom and bother anyone who says different."   
"But when I heard Lord -"   
"Bother him too."   
Andrea sat there and thought for a moment and continued. "Well, Roland is the only one I care   
about. All that matters is what he thinks. I don't like what he thinks about Annaka."   
"And bother that as well." Izzy barked.   
"I can't help it," said Andrea feebly. "I can't help that Annaka is better than me. Prettier than me.   
More charming than me. Better liked than me. Never sharing the attention. Always pushing me aside. You   
know what's the worst part? She doesn't even realize she's doing it! Oh I wish she… I wish she was never   
born and it was just Princess Andrea."   
Ah, finally! Izzy thought.   
"Well then Andy…" Izzy began to look like he was thinking long and hard. However, he'd been   
thinking of this moment for a long time and after centuries of planning, it finally came. He smiled a eerie smile   
to Andrea. "Princess," he said calmly, "Izzy is but a humble, dumb jester, but Izzy knows one thing well -   
Whatever controls when accidents happens cares not for who you be."   
"Huh? What do you mean?"   
"What I mean…" You stupid brat, Izzy tried not to add. Izzy picked up a couple of crystal balls and   
began juggling deftly until one of the balls accidentally went out of his skillful hands and hit the floor. The ball   
shattered into pieces. "Oh dear, Andy. I seemed to have made an accident."   
"That's very nice Izzy but now there's -," the candle in her head lit, "Oh, I see. But you can't what I   
think you mean."   
Izzy's nod said that it was.   
The princess wondered to herself. Could she do it? Could she really kill Annaka? But what if she was   
caught? She would be hated forever - and that was much worse than being ignored. But if she wasn't   
caught… She could become queen. The people could love her. Roland could love her. Yes, she could do it-   
no, would.   
As her face twisted and turned with thoughts, Izzy could almost hear what Andrea was thinking. He   
could feel the hate; the anger; the envy; the anguish. He was like a hungry beggar breathing the airs beside a   
kitchen.   
Izzy smiled. She smiled back.   
When I'm queen, Izzy will be reward beyond his thoughts could ever think of.   
Izzy knew it as well.   
  
It was a week after Andrea's and Roland's marriage and newly formed AmnShae kingdom's   
celebration was only now starting to die down. You would think that Andrea would be feeling just a tad guilty,   
but she was not. It wasn't because she was a bad person, but it was that she'd never been so happy - so happy,   
she couldn't think about her sister. Everywhere, people were lifting mugs high over the heads with Andrea and   
her husband's names. Her hand had been kissed by countless nobles who wished they paid more attention   
earlier. And most important of all, she had Roland. So in the end, she was simply not in the mood to feel   
guilty. If anything, she was proud of what she did.   
Of course, you can't be proud of something and not tell someone about it. A few days before the   
wedding, Andrea told Izzy about her sister's accident over a cup of pumble* tea.   
"What I did was simple, really. I remembered the time the sheriff had to execute that awful man who   
killed father's favorite stable master. The gallows was broken so the sheriff broke the man's neck." Andrea   
sipped her tea. "I invited Annaka for a little tea in the courtyard - this courtyard. And so, we chatted a bit, and   
I accidentally dropped my spoon. 'Annie, dear? Could you please get that for me?' I said." Andrea dropped a   
spoon on the ground, just as she did with for Annaka. "So, as the twit bent over to pick it up, I grabbed her   
neck and thrust it against the corner of the table.   
Izzy's eyes went wide. He had genuine trouble trying to picture this shy girl doing such a thing.   
"Table you say? Not this table, was it?"   
Andrea smiled and gave the same it was nod that Izzy once gave to her. She pointed to the harmless   
table corner which ended the life of a princess.   
"All I had to do was dribble some tea on her shoes and yell 'Nurse! Nurse! Dear Annie has slipped   
and fallen!' and that was that. The royal doctor said she was dead a few minutes later. I wonder how much we   
pay him to say such an obvious conclusion…"   
"Brilliant my princess!" cried Izzy. "Oh! Forgive Izzy. Brilliant, my Queen!"   
And so, with Annaka out of the way, Princess Andrea became Queen Andrea.   
  
After the week of celebration, the mead and ale wasn't the only thing to go flat. King Roland fell into   
a deep depression. Andrea did so much to be with him and if he wasn't happy, neither was she. Her husband   
was sitting alone in their apartment, staring blankly out a window.   
"Roland, my prince," she said," What's wrong?"   
He sighed sadly and looked to her "Your sister."   
The queen's face went ghostly pale, fearing he knew she killed her. "I… I don't understand."   
"Your sister. I still love Annaka."   
Andrea quickly flushed to red as tears washed her vision away. Unbelievable! Annaka is dead! How   
could he love her? You can't love a corpse. Andrea continued to sob as Roland sat and put his arm around her   
shoulders.   
"It's okay, I don't like this forced marriage anymore than you do. But our sacrifice will finally bring   
peace to the kingdoms."   
Andrea couldn't believe what she was hearing. She sobbed louder, almost to the point were she   
couldn't concentrate on her own thoughts.   
Forced marriage? Sacrifice? Of course! How could she had been so blind. All the caring he'd given.   
All the love he'd given. It wasn't really those after all. It was pity and duty. All this time, she thought he actually   
cared! But it was pity and duty. But he went along so well with the wedding… Yes, that was it. Roland the   
Admirable - doing everything he can for his kingdom, right?   
No, that wasn't it. That was too simple. She knew Roland wasn't stupid. He couldn't have not known   
she'd love him. Roland teased her feelings. He was cruel to her - and cruel people don't give a damn about   
their kingdom. The bastard who sat by her didn't care about her. He didn't care about honor or duty. He   
probably didn't even care about Annaka. There could only be one logical solution - Roland married her to   
become King. What was it that Izzy said?   
Princes aint notin' but dogs who lick hands for power.   
Yes. That had to be it. Roland didn't care who he married. He'd be king of Amntir and Shaelport   
either way. If Roland wanted, he could kill her and be ruler of all. Well, Annaka might not have cared much   
for her kingdom, but it was her kingdom nevertheless. And he wouldn't let this dog rule it.   
So Andrea, knowing the simple problem, came up with the simple solution - a nice pot of tea for her   
and her beloved husband.   
  
"Andy Andy Andrea. Tsk tsk." Isaac smiled devilishly.   
Andrea lifted her head up lifelessly toward Isaac the comforting priest - although she and we both   
know who he really was. Andrea was in the castle's dungeons and would stay there until her sentence was   
carried out. A single window lit her cell of cobblestone and iron bars. It was so dark… and cold. And the   
spiders. She couldn't stand the spiders. They lingered around Andrea, and after a while, they would just scuttle   
out of the cell, as if teasing her.   
"Andy! Ye' not gonna talk to ye' faithful jester?" Isaac laugh echoed throughout the dungeon.   
Andrea simply put her head back down. "Okay then. Saves me that damn accent." His eyes flickered red at   
the former Queen. "You were never very creative Andrea. You just might have gotten away with it if Roland   
didn't coincidently die the same way Annaka did." Andrea just lowered her head in response and Izzy went on.   
"And your confession was quite interesting. You didn't really believe Roland was just using you, did you? He   
wasn't called 'The Admirable' because he did deeds that weren't admirable.   
"And you should be glad that your in this safe little cell. Andrea, I wish you could see all the brilliant   
trouble outside. The former kingdoms are coming together again. War is coming. Amntir will do anything to   
avenge Roland's murder and Shaelport can do nothing but fight back." Isaac couldn't help but pause and   
wonder at all the marvelous things to come - terror, destruction, hatred, and all the other things that made his   
world go 'round. "In a few months, the two kingdoms will destroy each other - and it's all because a certain   
little girl had a certain little crush." Isaac waited for Andrea's hopeless response. Maybe she'd say how he'd   
never get away with this, or maybe try to reach through the iron bars to strangle him. But she sat there and   
stared at the floor. She was dead on the inside. And soon she would be dead on the outside.   
"Oh Andrea, I wish you could see it all. Actually, in a way you will… But your execution is soon.   
Oh, please don't start to cry, Andrea. I'll be right behind you. Right behind you as we walk to the plaza to   
were you're to die. Right behind you as they give you your final rights. Right behind you as they swing that   
cold heavy axe through your pretty little neck. And right behind you as you walk into the depths of Hell for   
your sins." Isaac smiled sinisterly as his eyes flickered red one more time.   
"Ah, the guard comes, Andrea. I hope you're well rested. I think we're going to be taking a very long   
walk."   
  
Author's Note: And all you gamers should be able to peice the rest together.


End file.
